John Merriman honored for work as eminent senior historian

John Merriman, the Charles Seymour Professor of History, has been honored by the American Historical Association (AHA) with its Award for Scholarly Distinction. He will receive the award at the AHA’s annual meeting in January.

Since 1984, the Award for Scholarly Distinction has recognized senior historians of the highest distinction who have spent the bulk of their professional careers in the United States. With the award, the AHA intends to “honor persons not otherwise recognized by the profession to an extent commensurate with their contributions.”

Merriman is a historian of modern France and Europe since the Renaissance. In his study of France, he has focused primarily on urban and social histories. He has written extensively about French cities, and in the past decade has produced several books about terrorism, violence, and radical political groups in Paris between the 19th and early 20th centuries. His most recent book, “Ballad of the Anarchist Bandits: The Crime Spree that Gripped Belle Époque Paris,” was published by Nation Books on Oct. 3.